


fall

by thollnds



Series: redamancy [1]
Category: Spider-Man: Homecoming (2017)
Genre: ? - Freeform, F/M, Fluff, Jealousy, Post-Spider-Man: Homecoming, Some angst
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-07-31
Updated: 2017-07-31
Packaged: 2018-12-08 23:47:21
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,638
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11657205
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/thollnds/pseuds/thollnds
Summary: Michelle sits with another boy and Peter gets jealous, he also has a lot on his plate.





	fall

**Author's Note:**

> pt. 1  
> redamancy, a love returned in full; an act of loving the one who loves you.

It started on a Tuesday when Peter and Ned realized half of lunch had come and gone and Michelle was nowhere to be found, sitting at the end of their table with her stack of books and cup of coffee. But, it wasn't like they were friends. Michelle could come and go as she pleases, and could sit where ever her heart desired. It was just, well, she _always_ sat with them. So now, it was just Ned and Peter alone at the table and suddenly they felt very small, or maybe it was just Peter. He felt very small.

Peter glanced around the cafeteria, brows furrowed as he bit down on the inside of his lip. Ned was busy picking at his salad, rolling the cherry tomato from end to end. "Where is she?"

"I don't know, Peter, maybe she decided sitting with losers isn't exactly what she wants to do her whole high school career." Ned said, finally picking up the tomato and biting into it.

"But- she," Peter sighed, resting his head back down on his forearm. "always sits with us, suddenly she's too cool?"

"You're reading too much into this, I think, Pete." Ned laughed, patting Peter gently on the back. Ned was unaffected by the absense of Michelle, to him, it just meant that there would be less spit balls and namecalling to have to deal with. 

But Ned was right, Peter was overthinking it, just like he was overthinking everything lately. From school, to chores, to his superhuman duties, and now to Michelle. But it was just Michelle, why would he overthink her? She was messy and rude sometimes, she didn't brush her hair. All she ever did was have her nose crammed in a book, and she never had a nice thing to say about most people. She didn't care about what anyone thought of her, so why would Peter even bother having a thought? He didn't know why this mattered to him so much, all he knew was he kind of missed the way her coffee smelled. Just a little bit.

"Look, Peter, Michelle's over there." Ned knocked his elbow into Peter's, and he raised his head. "She's talking to a _boy?"_

Peter's brows furrowed and he looked where Ned had pointed, and there she was, all of her minus her books and coffee, plus some food and a boy who was looking at her a little too deeply. Peter's throat closed and he grimaced. "That guy's in my sociology class, he's an ass." Was all Peter said, and laid his head back down.

"You're an ass." Ned snickered, and Peter groaned.

Peter kept his eyes on Michelle and the _boy_ , who he thought's name was Andrew. He was smiling at her, but all he could see of Michelle was her messy, curly hair and slouched stature. He tapped his fingers on the table, closing his eyes. Why was this bothering him so much? He decided to think about his meeting with Tony Stark this weekend, and not about Michelle. 

 

* * *

 

What did Michelle see in this guy, anyways? Peter was Spider-Man (she doesn't know, but still), and Ned was, well, Ned. Everyone liked Ned. So, why was it Friday and Michelle was still sitting with Andrew? Andrew wasn't particularily that tall, he had shaggy blonde hair and dressed like he was the leader of his Fraternity. Or cult. He always said the most stupid things in sociology, and Peter honestly just couldn't see why Michelle decided to spend her time with him instead of Peter. And Ned.

"So what's your meeting with Tony about, Peter?" Ned asked, a little too loud but Peter was too preoccupied to mind. 

Peter peeled his eyes away from Michelle and turned to Ned, he had a small smile on his face. He was always so intruiged by Peter's business. Peter internally reminded himself to bring Ned next time he talked to Tony. "I don't know, he said it was important though. Maybe it has something to do with the Avengers. Remember that suit he offered me? Maybe I'm getting it."

"Maybe he's asking you to be an Avenger again!" Ned grinned, and Peter pressed a finger against his mouth, sushing him.

"Quiet, Ned." Peter said seriously, then smiled. "But that would be so cool." Peter retracted his hand and set it in his lap. He licked across his lips and sighed. "You ever miss her calling us losers?"

"Are you still on that?" Ned asked, and the lunch bell rang.

Usually Peter walked Ned to class, but today he sped in front of him, waving goodbye before catching up to the curly headed brunette in front of him. Peter clasped his hand into a fist and nervously played with his fingers as he approached her. She was carrying two books in her arm, and her backpack slung over one shoulder. Her shirt was peach, and her jeans were black with rips in the knees. She had her jacket tied around her waist, it was slipping slightly. Peter stepped closer until he was walking beside her, her eyes peeked to him.

"Hey, Michelle." He said, head turning to face her and she blew her hair from her face. "You know that book you suggested to me awhile ago? The Bridge Called My Back?"

"I didn't suggest that to you, I told the whole class about it in a book report."

"Well, uh, anyways. I started reading it last night, I got the last copy at the library. It's really good." Peter nervously stuttered, eyes wide. He saw the end of Michelle's lips turn upward and she looked down as she pressed them together. "Really, I like it. May thinks I'm a changed man."

"Maybe we'll have to talk about it sometime." Michelle said, stopping by a classroom door. Peter walked a little too far, before turning around to stand in front of her. "Over coffee, or something."

"O-over coffee? Uh, yeah! We could definitely do that. We should." Peter felt his stomach turn, and his heart begin rattling against his ribs. "Yeah, for sure." Why was he acting like this? He was nervous and could feel his palms begin to sweat like they used to around Liz. Michelle wasn't Liz, Michelle was Michelle. She smelled like coffee and old books, and didn't care how she appeared to anyone else except for herself.

And Peter liked it.

"I'll call you." Michelle spoke and disapeared inside the classroom, leaving Peter with his breath hitched and a lot on his mind. Mostly, what about Andrew, mostly about her.

Peter's last three classes felt like years long as he waited to get home to ask May what this all meant. He got the answer wrong twice when he was called out in Chemistry, making Flash snicker under his breath and his teacher roll her eyes in disappointment. He didn't read a single page of his assigned book in English, peeking over the top to watch Michelle breath, and flip the pages, and take sips from her water bottle. 

When Peter was finally home, he was tired. May was by the stove, looking at a cookbook with her hair clipped up in a bun. He smiled, she was always trying to cook new foods ever since Ben passed away, he was the chef of the house. May looked up when the door closed, and set the cookbook down.

"Hi, Peter. How was school?" She asked, wiping her hands on the apron loosely tied around her waist. She pulled it off and sat it on the counter, walking into the livingroom where Peter was, dropping his backpack to the ground and flopping on the couch. "That bad?"

"I think I like someone." He mumbled, and stretched his arms up.

" _Someone?_ Is it a boy? Listen, I'm all for experimenting, but just make sure it's with the right person and--"

"May, no, it's a girl. She's a girl." Peter groaned, rubbing the sides of his hands into his eyes and May laughed, sitting on the couch next to him. "She's on the Decathalon team with me."

"Didn't Liz move away? Is it that other girl? The one with the black hair?"

"No, May it's Michelle."

"Oh," May nodded her head slowly, looking from Peter to the muted television in front of them "She seems like a sweet girl. Is that why you came home with that ridiculous book last night?"

"It's actually really good." Peter said crossing his arms over his chest with a sigh. "She asked me to coffee to talk about it."

"That's exciting, did you act like a total nerd?" May grinned, turning her body to face his.

"Yes." Peter muttered, he smiled but it soon faded, and he grumbled. "But there's one thing."

 _Hmm?_  May hummed, pushing her glasses up the bridge of her nose.

"She's been sitting with this boy all week. He's a total asshat, I don't know what she sees in him."

"Well, Peter, she asked _you_ to coffee." May said. "If all else fails, you're _Spider-Man_. No one else has that."

 "I guess you're right." Peter spoke, running a hand through his messy hair. "There's just something about Michelle."

"It's always something." May smiled, standing up and walking back to the kitchen. "Prepare for takeout because this recipe is hard!" She called, and Peter laughed.

 

* * *

 

 

"Peter? Happy's here to pick you up. Now, remember; do not sign anything, and please don't do anything stupid. No more ferry incidents, okay?"

Peter smiled and nodded, sitting up from his desk where his homework sat, and grabbed his backpack. "Of course, May. I won't be splitting anymore ferries in half." Peter walked through his bedroom door, and towards the front enterance before May grabbed his wrist and pulled him into a hug.

"You _worry_ me, Peter. You may be Spider-Man but you're my family first." She mumbled into his shoulder, and Peter's arms wrapped around her. "You're all I've got, you know? Mr. Stark doesn't, but you do. Don't go getting yourself killed."

"I'm okay." Peter whispered, looking straight ahead and out the window. May didn't let go. "We don't even know what the meetings about, May. It might just be to check up on the suit, okay? I'm alright."

May closed her eyes and sighed, her hand running through Peter's hair. She let go and opened the front door. Happy stood on his phone, and looked up. "I love you, Pete."

"Love you too, May." Peter spoke, and walked towads Happy. He slipped his phone back in his pocket, nodding at May before she closed the door.

"Let's go, kid, Tony says it's urgent."

"Oh." Peter watched as Happy briskly walked away, and he followed closesly behind. "Alright."

 

The drive upstate was boring, Happy didn't talk much, he never did but he seemed stressed out. Peter stared out the window at the passing buildings of the city, until they turned into houses and then highways and trees. He wondered what life outside the city was like, if anywhere else needed a Spider-Man as much as New York did. He thought about May, and Ned, and then Michelle. Peter wondered if he should tell her, she can keep a secret. But being Spider-Man, knowing Spider-Man, is a different kind of secret than just not telling anyone about yourself. Peter pressed his head against the window and pulled out his phone, he had a voicemail from Michelle. Peter's heart filled his throat, and he hid his phone beneath his leg. Happy looked in the rearview, and furrowed his brows before looking back to the road. Peter took a breath, and held his phone up to his hear.

_"Uh, hi, Peter. It's Michelle. You know you're really bad at picking up your phone? Anyways, I see you're out of town, and no I'm not stalking your Bitmoji, obviously, but I was wondering if you could give me a call back about when you're free for coffee? I'm always free, so, um, yeah. I have a lot of insights about the book. So. Call me."_

Peter swallowed, and exhaled. Hiding his smile with the sleeve of his sweatshirt. He quickly dialed her number, and let it ring until voicemail picked up. "Hi, Michelle. It's Peter. Did you know you're equally as bad at picking up your phone? I'm going up state for the Stark Internship. I'll be back Sunday afternoon. I'm not sure how late coffee shops are open, but my house always has coffee. I'll text you when I'm home. Bye."

Peter hung up and bit down on his lip. He ran his fingers through his hair, and he swore he could see Happy grinning in the front seat.

 

The Avengers mansion was breathtaking each time Peter saw it, and no matter how many times he did see it, it was always like the first time. Happy pulled up in the front, and Peter got out. He was nervous, which was unusual, but an urgent meeting with Tony Stark was also very unusual. Happy lead Peter up the stairs, and through the enterance, down the hall and too a doorway marked Meeting Office. When the door opened, Peter was taken aback by the amount of people, Avengers sitting around the table.

"Go on, Kid." Happy said, and Peter nodded, making his way into the room. He sat down in the only empty chair, and folded his hands together in his lap nervously.

"Thank you for joining us, Mr. Parker. Sorry you couldn't take the jet." Tony spoke, and leaned back in his chair.

"No- I, uh. It's great. This is great." Peter mumbled.

"So, you're the Spider-Kid," Bucky said, leaning over the table with a grimace. "I almost got my ass kicked by a 15 year old!"

"Bucky, shut up." Sam grumbled.

Tony rolled his eyes and sat up straight again, pressing his fingers into his temples with a sigh. "Everyone, this is Peter Parker, he'll be joining us on our next mission as Spider-Man. I don't want to hear any more age references, only I'm allowed to make those as his mentor."

"I- I will?" Peter questioned, eyes glancing around the room.

"Oh, yes, you will. We need all the fighters we can get with this one. As long as you don't have homework?" Tony questioned, and Peter heard a few chuckles erupt, making his cheeks flush with embarrassment. 

"What does this mission entail, exactly?" Peter avoided the question, looking from Tony to the rest of the Avengers. "Because May--"

"How _is_ May, anyways?" Tony grinned, and Peter's face grew hot again. "Don't worry, we can make up a lie. You don't have to tell her you're going to space. That's perferable, actually."

" _Space?!"_

* * *

 

_"Hey, Peter, I'm returning you're call. Sunday sounds good, I'll see you then."_

_"Peter! Dude, you're not going to believe, but I saw Michelle out with that boy! Michelle, out! Can you believe it? Anyways, text me back, what did Mr. Stark have to say?"_

 

Peter felt like he was going to puke, everything was too much, and everything was making him dizzy. Peter fell asleep in the car, and dreamed about kissing Michelle over and over. He dreamt he was Andrew, and suddenly wished he could be a normal kid again. Someone with a girlfriend, who got to stay on Earth and didn't have to fight purple monsters who were trying to destroy the universe. He dreamt of being Peter Parker and a world who had never heard of Spider-Man before.

Peter awoke with a knocking on the window, Happy, like most of the time, didn't look happy, and opened the door. Peter blocked the sunset from his eyes and rolled out of the car. "See you, later, Peter." Happy said, and walked to the front seat. "Don't forget to practice in the new suit."

Peter slung his backpack over his shoulders, and looked towards his building. His window was open, probably the doing of May, and he could see his neighbors living. He sighed, and let his gaze drop to his stoop. There, Michelle sat, reading her copy of The Bridge Called My Back. She was dressed in a back shirt, and blue jeans with her hair in a bun. Peter walked up to her.

"Hi." He said.

Michelle looked up, and closed the book. She stood quickly, nervously pushing her hair behind her ear. "Hi, you look tired. Do you want to reschedule?"

"No, but I need to talk to you about something that's not the book. I need," Peter sighed. "I need someone."

Michelle raised her eyebrows and nodded, stepping aside for Peter to open the door. With a shaky hand, he did, and Michelle followed him all the way up to his apartment. He waved to his aunt, and Michelle smiled, and soon they were in his room with the door shut and locked. Michelle looked around, it was small, but clean, and she wondered why he had a bunk bed. Peter sat on the bottom bunk, and pressed the palms of his hands into his eyes.

"If I told you something and you couldn't tell anyone, would you?" Peter asked, and Michelle made herself at home on his floor, sitting criss-cross in front of him.

"You're my only friend." Michelle said, and Peter looked up.

"What about your boyfriend?" He raised an eyebrow and Michelle frowned.

"My _what?_ Peter, you're insane." Michelle laughed, and looked down. "You're such a loser, and you're honestly clueless. Why would I be _here_ if I had a boyfriend?"

"But- wait, what? I-" Peter stuttered, raising his hands and running one through his hair. "Oh." He dropped them, and let his mind race as to what she meant by _here._

"Peter, tell me what's up."

And so he did, in intimate detail. He told her about the bite, and the morning after, and the pain. He told her about the suit, and the identity, and Tony. He said how he was doing this all for Ben, but it didn't seem like it was for Ben anymore. He told her about Liz's father, and the misson to Berlin, and the mission now, and she listened. Michelle didn't speak, or ask questions, she watched Peter crumble, and fix himself, and held his hand when it got too much. She moved from the floor, to the bed, and ran her hand up and down his back. Peter sighed and looked at her with heavy eyes.

"Michelle, what if I die?" He questioned, and Michelle pressed her lips together. "I promised May I'd be safe, but how am I supposed to keep that promise? I don't want to die, I don't want to leave her and Ned. I don't want to leave you."

Michelle let her head fall on his shoulder, intertwining their fingers. "You won't."

"I could."

Michelle frowned and looked at him, he was blinking slowly and his head was hanging. She had never seen this side of Peter before, granted, she never really saw any side of him before besides his happy Peter side, but her heart ached for him nonetheless. She swallowed the lump in her throat, and grabbed her bag. Michelle brought the book out, and set it on her lap. She turned to a page marked with a purple postit with one hand, her other still holding Peter's.

“ _...it is not really the difference the oppressor fears so much as the similarity. He fears he will discover in himself the same aches, the same longings as those of the people he has shit on... . He fears he will have to change his life once he has seen himself in the bodies of the people he has called different._ ” Michelle started reading, quietly, her thumb softly caressing Peter's skin. Peter kept his stare at the floor, bumps rising on his skin as her thumb moved back and forth. He breathed slowly, in and out and closed his eyes, listening to her soothing voice rid himself of fear.

Michelle kept reading until Peter was calm, until she felt him stop shaking next to her on the bottom bunk of his bed and until his loose hand gripped hers back. She set the book aside and looked at him, and he looked at her.

"Thank you," He whispered, his eyes scanning across her face. "Michelle."

She nodded, and let go of his hand. Peter missed the warmth, missed her grip and the motion of her thumb. He watched her put the book back in her bag, and looked at the line of her spine as her shirt slid up when she bent down. His eyes graced across her body, her lean stature and long legs, her messy hair and straight nose. He wanted to kiss her, but instead, he walked with her downstairs and outside, and waited with her until her mother came to pick her up. It was silent.

 

* * *

 

 

Michelle didn't sit with Andrew on Monday, she sat across from Peter and Ned, with her stack of books and coffee per usual. 

"So, who was that guy you were sitting with last week?" Ned asked, and Peter's eyes widened. 

"He was my lab partner, he needed help _every_ day. He's an idiot." Michelle mumbled, glancing up from her book to Ned, and then Peter, and then back down to the words on her page.

"We thought, and by we, I totally mean Peter, thought he was your boyfriend." Ned laughed, and Peter punched his arm, lightly, but Ned still winced.

"Nope." Michelle smirked behind her book, eyes peeking up to Peter, and let her foot collide with his.

She would deny it until her dying breath, but then, her and Peter played footsie all lunch long, and when the bell rang, she let him hold her hand while he walked her to class.

 

 


End file.
